Fairway Safety and Performance

PREVENTION

&

POSTREHAB
BY CATHERINE LOGAN, MSPT

Fairway Safety and Performance
Design a conditioning program that will prepare the golfer’s body for the stresses of the sport.
The popularity of golf has soared in recent years. It is no longer a sport just for retirees and “snowbirds” headed south for the winter. Golfers range from every-sooften players to seasoned professionals. Unfortunately, many golfers–assuming that they have a relatively low risk of injury compared to participants in other sports–do not adequately prepare their bodies for golf’s stresses. Spending money on the newest club or on professional lessons to improve their game is “par for the course,” but golfers rarely take advantage of physical conditioning to enhance their performance and prevent injury. Golf is more physically demanding than many people imagine. It requires not only flexibility and strength but also good muscle balance and postural stability. A typical day on the golf course can include swinging more than 100 times (for both practice and the actual game), leaning over 30